The Cologne–Aachen high-speed line is the German part of the Trans-European transport networks project high-speed line Paris–Brussels–Cologne. It is not a newly built railway line, but a project to upgrade the existing railway line which was opened in 1841 by the Rhenish Railway Company. When it was continued into Belgium in 1843, it became the world's first international railway line.[citation needed]

The line inside Germany has a length of about 70 kilometres (43 mi). The first 40 km (25 mi) from Cologne to Düren have been rebuilt. Since 2002 the line allows for speeds up to 250 km/h (160 mph). Separate tracks have been built parallel to the high-speed tracks for local S-Bahn traffic. The remaining line from Düren to Aachen allows speeds up to 160 km/h (99 mph) with some slower sections. Upgrades of Düren–Aachen are planned for the near future. In Belgium, the high-speed line is continued as HSL 3.

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History

The line was built from 1839 to 1841 by the Rhenish Railway Company (German: Rheinische Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft) built and when it was extended into Belgium in 1843 was the world's first cross-border railway. The most important single structure of the line was the 1623 m long Königsdorf Tunnel, which was demolished in 1954. The resulting cutting was widened in 2000 to accommodate four tracks.

Route

The upgrading of the line was first mentioned in the first Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan of 1973.[1] It was also included in the updated plan of 1985.[2]

Work began with a symbolic driving of a pile on 22 October 1997. The federal and state governments agreed to spend 1.1 billion D-Marks was spent on building two new tracks between Cologne and Düren for high-speed trains and develop the existing line for S-Bahn services.[3] Since 14 December 2003, trains have been able to operate on this section at up to 250 kph. Parts of the parallel S-Bahn line are only single track. All stations between Cologne and Düren were rebuilt as S-Bahn stations. Under a second stage, the section between Düren and Langerwehe is to be upgraded for speeds up to 200 km/h. The section from Eschweiler to Aachen, which currently has a speed limit of 110 km/h to 140 km/h, would be cleared for 160 km/h. The section from Aachen to Aachen-Süd (on the border with Belgium) would also be cleared for 160 km/h operations.[4]

The Busch Tunnel at the border is the oldest railway tunnel in Germany that is still in use with some parts dating back to 1838.[citation needed] When the line was electrified, the limited space inside the tunnel meant that the line had to be rebuilt as a single track. Because of the tunnel's poor conditions, speeds had to be limited to 40 km/h (25 mph). A second parallel single-line tunnel was built in between 2004 and 2007. The old tunnel is currently being rebuilt with a new lining and will be returned to service as a single track, with increased clearance.